Story Book
by Idonotget
Summary: Marauders take an adventure through a magical mirror, putting them inside a fairy tale land. Unknowingly, they each take a role in a few of the Fairy tale stories. New Chapter: Hansel and Gretel...or Sirius and James. Not sure who will be dinner yet
1. Getting there

James poked his unruly black haired head through the door in order to look inside the office. He pushed his glasses up on his nose a little more before waving his friends in to follow.

The boys had spotted Dumbledore, thanks to the map, in the kitchen. The map is never wrong but still, what if one time it is wrong? So scoping the area before entering would make marvelous sense.

"Place is clear." He spoke to them while he moved forward. "Remember your duties men. We need a quick search and a quick exist before anyone noticed we aren't where we are supposed to be."

"For the love of Merlin." Remus glared at Sirius who was mimic his mouth moving. Sirius, on noticing such a glare gave Remus a little finger wave. Remus frowned at the little wave and knocked his fist into Sirius' arm. "Why must we come here? Of all the offices we could had break into…"

"It's not 'break into'." Sirius hushed him, rubbing his slightly injured arm. "That would be wrong, Moony. We just walked in unannounced. I think I'm going to bruise now. A big bruise on my arm. Size of a dinner plate, I betcha."

"Why did it have to be Dumbledore's office?" Remus ignored Sirius but gave Peter, who froze to look around, a little shove forward.

"Remus. Remus. Remus." James shook his head in disappointment while he walked over to the desk to check out the drawers. The obvious was the obvious, was it not?

"One more time, James." Sirius smirk quickly turned to a frown when Remus gave him a deadly stare.

" Remus." James grinned ignore Remus' death like eyes. "Dumbledore's office is so much more awesome then the other Professors'' offices. He has just about anything that will do anything in here. We just need to find out where he keeps all the good anything. And look at this way, if he didn't want people into his personal stash of goodies I am quite confident he would had locked the door."

"The door has a secret password casted on it." Remus reminded him.

"Well then he shouldn't had told me what that word was…" James countered.

"He didn't." Remus walked over to the countless books on shelves inside the cozy office.

"But he did tell me his first password and knowing that I am brilliant, should had known that I'd figure out all the others." James smirked.

"He told you to get you up here the day you and Sirius flooded the Slitherins' dorm." Peter stepped forward, clearly on Remus side. They could get into big trouble being here and if there was any way at all to get James and Sirius to back out of this idea, all the better.

"Technically, we didn't flood them out." Sirius held up his index finger as he read the ingredient on a bottle of green liquid. "We caused a slight rain storm and it was that storm that flooded the dorms down below. Not us."

"Just saying we shouldn't be here, is all." Remus muttered now catching sight of the candy dish on the desk. Looked like gum balls but in the magical world, one may never know until one tried a few. With a touch of a smile, Remus decided to investigate.

"Besides, look at what we could be missing." Sirius whistled as he checked in the cupboards. The amount of potions bottles that Sirius found would never fit the sack he brought along. "We need to learn that one spell James."

"Just the one?" James lifted an eyebrow. "And all this time I thought the more spells I knew the better off I was."

"Ha. Cute. " Sirius snorted as he took a bottle filled with a yellow liquid off the shelf. "I am talking about that spell which allows one to have more room in their storage for more goodies to be smuggled away."

"Ah. Well then we shall learn it." James shrugged and made a mental note of finding such spell. "Unless of course you already know that particular spell, Remus." James looked quickly over to Remus who was checking out the candy dish.

"Huh?" Remus quickly looked up, a slight blush coming to his pale cheeks as he took his hand out of the candy dish.

"Any magical tastiest in there?" James gave him a quick wink and quickly went to work on the desk.

"Hey guys." Peter waved them over to a dusty corner he had been searching. "Look what I found."

The three dropped their hunt; Sirius' bag was already filled with potion loot, and quickly walked over to Peter.

"Wow." James gave a low whistle and patted Peter on the back. "A mirror Peter. What a great job."

"A dirty one at that." Sirius noted the dark spots over the glass surface. It was a full length mirror and the frame was tarnished silver as well as the stand that held the mirror upright. Sirius couldn't see anything interesting about it.

"Come off it." Peter scowled at them. "It was covered up. Why would Dumbledore cover a mirror up?"

"Have you seen him?" James asked Peter. "Seriously, have you? The man has more wrinkles then my house elf when he's wet."

"Surely Dumbledore has seen himself, therefore hide all mirrors." Sirius added. "It's the practical thing to do. Mirrors don't lie, you know."

"Perfect sense." James agreed.

"The only senses I have are the perfect ones." Sirius smiled brightly.

"But maybe it's like that other mirror." Peter pointed out. "The one Sirius found in the dungeon area while searching for the bathroom." Peter stretched his arms wide to explain the mirror's size.

"Mirror of Erised." Remus whispered as he looked at this new mirror with an importance gleam to his eye. Liked the others, he enjoyed looking into the Mirror of Erised. In the mirror, he was normal. He didn't see a student with all the medals, the student with all the friends but he did see an average, non-werewolf boy. Normal.

"Yeah." Peter snapped his fingers at Remus. "That mirror."

"I should have turned left." Sirius sighed, recalling his first year at getting lost. It was how he had found the mirror in the first place. He was actually looking for the library.

"Don't worry about it mate." James patted his shoulder. "All of our best discoveries happen because we were lost. It makes the finding oh so much better."

Remus walked around the mirror. It was a two way mirror, frame was all the same. No lettering, no depiction could be seen on it at all. "I think it's just a mirror, Peter."

"Best keep looking." Sirius gave the small boy a pat on the head. "Good try though."

"Maybe if you run into it!" Peter grinned and shook his head as if agreeing with himself.

"Don't think that's wise, Pete." Remus frowned as Peter backed away from the mirror to give a good run.

"Pete, you can't run into a mirror. They break into millions of sharp, piercing pieces!" Sirius frowned as the boy shot forward. "Bloody hell!"

"Peter, don't be stupid." James took a step between the boy and the mirror, putting his hands out in front of him and ready for the impact. His goal was to push Peter back, to stop him from crashing into the mirror and causing himself bodily harm.

That was his intention but wasn't what happened. Though Peter was shorter he weighed twice James own weight so when he collided into James, he pushed James back into the mirror and he went along with the fall.

Yet the mirror didn't crash. It didn't clatter to the floor. It didn't tilt. It didn't' sway. In fact, it remand just as it had been when the boys first saw it. The boys on the other hand…

"Where did they go?" Sirius stared at the empty space that his friends just vacated moments ago.

"Through the mirror." Remus said slowly, still in shock. He was pointing to the mirror yet trying to get his mind working on just what happen.

"Peter was right?" Sirius asked dumbfounded. He ran to the mirror, looking behind it to see if maybe they were standing on the other side. "How? I mean…how? He's never right." He quickly looked at Remus for the answer.

"First time for everything." Remus was looking at the mirror with a stunned expression.

"Where did they go?" Sirius asked. He tilted the mirror upright, smacking the back of it as if that would help James and Peter to tumble out. "I mean, I knew they went through there but where is there? A portkey maybe?"

"That's what I'm thinking." Remus nodded his head. "But Port keys aren't supposed to work in Hogwarts."

"Maybe so but this is Dumbledore's office." Sirius reminded him. "He has different rules."

"True. In any case we must'n leave them there, where ever there is." Remus walked quickly to were Peter had started his rush towards the mirror. "James is trouble on his own and he only has but Peter at the moment to get him out of it…"

"Bless the souls of those who cross their paths." Sirius whispered as he watched Remus run through the mirror. He then did the same.

Sirius stood up from his fall, quickly looking around to get an idea that of their location. He dusted off his pants, glanced over his shoulder where he spotted Remus quickly.

Remus had his eyes shielded against the sun as he too looked around the area. They stood in a meadow with three goats grazing happily near them. The meadow slopped down to a creek that had a small bridge were a dirt road started to form just after it.

"Where do you think we are at?" Sirius asked the other boy.

"Don't know." Remus answered as he raised his hand up and pointed down a little sloop just a few yards from where they stood. "I see Pete and James, under the tree."

Sirius glanced down the meadow and sure enough, there was James and Peter. The smaller boy was jumping up and down, waving at them. James didn't look too happy though.

Remus and Sirius jogged down to their two friends and Peter greeted them with a huge smile.

"Told you!" Peter was quite proud of himself. "I told you it was magical. Told you there was a reason he had it covered. I so told you so."

"Yes, you certainly did." Sirius rolled his eyes and looked over at the sulking James. "What's up mate?"

"Nothing." James gave a quick death glare towards Peter.

"He's mad." Peter explained, though the two other boys picked up that.

"Aw, Jamessie." Sirius put his arm around James' shoulder and pulled him closer to his body. "What's wrong."

James crossed his arms and looked away from Sirius.

"He's mad because…" Peter spoke up for the other boy who gave him another glare. Peter gave a loud swallow before adding. "Of the landing."

"I'm sure that was very painful." Sirius smirked.

"Tell you what. Next time we are on top of the tower, I'll push you and Pete over and see how you like his landing on you." James sulked.

"If you pushed them both over at the same time, James." Remus voiced. "I do believe since Pete has some um…well extra weight on Sirius, he might actually land first."

"Well, let us test your theory out Moony." James glared at his three friends for not being more sympathetic to his Peter Inflected Injuries.

"Poor Jamessie." Sirius pinched James' cheek, having witness James' mother doing it countless of times.

"Stop that!" James knocked Sirius' hand away. "Prat!"

"So now that we are altogether again." Remus clapped his hands in front of him, as if he were speaking to toddlers. "How do we get back? Because if that was a keyport, any object over here could get us back."

"So we start touching everything." Peter shrugged, glancing around the area with a new look on things.

"Stop poking me!" Sirius growled at James who immediately started poking Sirius on the neck with his finger.

"Just trying to find a way home, Padfoot." James poked at Sirius again and in retaliation, which Sirius is known to do, he was bitten. "Ow! Bloody hell, Sirius you didn't have to bite."

"You can't go around poking people, Prongs." Sirius reminded him. "We've talked about this before. Do we have to have that talk again?"

"Oh, yeah. That whole personal space thingy." James made a circle in the air.

"That would be the one." Sirius stared patiently at James.

"Um…no, I'd rather not talk about that again." James rubbed the back of his head in memory of Sirius trouncing him every time he invaded Sirius' space. "It kind of hurt."

"It was for your own benefit, Prongs. Believe me when I say, it hurt me to do that to you then it hurt you to feel me doing that to you." Sirius said most seriously.

James blinked his hazel eyes at Sirius for a moment before chirping, "I don't honestly believe you felt anything other than self-satisfaction from your lesson, Mr. Black."

Sirius tapped his chin, pondering over James' statement. "I do believe you are correct in your belief, Mr. Potter."

"Gentlemen, I am using that word lightly." Remus snapped his fingers to get their attention back to him. "Seriously, we need to find a way to get back home. Anything could be a keyport and it's important that we figure what it is."

"Yeah but.."James threw his hands in the air. "I could be anything. Anything. It could even be an acorn and look how many trees are surrounding us now!"

"We don't have time to touch every tree, Moony." Sirius agreed. "But maybe we can find someone who might know of a portkey or maybe another way back. Isn't it possible that the mirror that brought us here might have a brother that would take us back?"

Remus shrugged his shoulders, feeling tired already. It didn't help that they only had two hours of sleep to go on because James became bored of sleeping last night. "It wouldn't hurt to try. Just look for something that might be out of place, touch it."

"Don't you dare poke me again, Prongs!" Sirius smacked James' hand before the other boy could poke his arm.

"And we can also speak with people about portkeys but make sure you don't speak to a muggle. They won't know anyways." Remus reminded them.

"There is a road down there." Peter pointed down the meadow's slope where a dirt road twisted into the forest. "Maybe we can find someone on that road."

"Possible." Remus agreed, heading towards the direction Peter pointed out.

"If he's right." James pulled Sirius close to him, whispering in a low voice so Peter couldn't hear. "That would be twice in one day. That's like a record."

"It has to be an omen." Sirius loosened the collar of his shirt. "A bad omen."

"Do you guys smell that?" Remus asked, glancing around as they closed on to a stream.

Peter sniffed loudly while he looked around as well. Sirius and James instantly moved away from Peter, who was known to eat a large quality of beans.

"No, seriously." Remus frowned at the scent. "It smells like…"

"A troll." Sirius pointed to a troll who appeared on the bridge. He must have been hiding in the shadows of large oak that over looked the creek. As trolls went, it wasn't very large but it was just as ugly. Its skin was a color of a dirty, oil flesh tone. Two lower teeth jolted over his lip in an upward fashion. His clothing was that of a toga. Flies buzzed around the troll, which it would catch fairly quickly and stick inside its mouth.

"He looks like he feel out of a giant's nose." James wrinkled his noses.

"He's kind of jiggles too." Sirius look on in awe.

"I'm going to puke." Remus gagged as the Troll crunched down on a fairly large fly.

"I'm going to…" Peter crossed his legs quickly while looking for a place to hide or run.

"He's blocking the bridge." Sirius huffed at the rudeness. "Who does he think he is? A toll keeper or something."

"Maybe." Remus shrugged.

"Doesn't matter 'cause we can just cross here." James pointed at the creek.

"He is no on special." Sirius vented. "Are we not superior to these lowly creatures?"

"Well, yeah." Remus agreed. "But they're a little more brutal then we are so maybe we should just not go that way."

"Look at him, Mooney." Sirius waved his hand up and down. "I can take him. You can take him. Pete might not but it would be a good match."

"I heard that." Peter growled behind them.

"Come on." Sirius walked up to the troll.

"Halt!" The troll called out a warning, which as odd since most trolls didn't speak so well. This troll stood at attention, a stick in hand held at ready. "You cannot pass my bridge."

"Why not?" Sirius asked, crossing his arms. "What's so special about this bridge?"

The troll was quiet for a moment as he stumbled on the question. "It is special because you walk across it and you don't get the yucky water all over you toes. Everyone wants to go on the other side without getting their toes wet and I protect the other side from the goats and you kind of goats."

Remus and Sirius looked back at the goats, which at that moment looked at the three boys then returned to their grazing.

"I don't think they are interested in crossing your bridge." Remus turned his attention back to the troll.

"And we're not goats." Sirius added.

"They will want to cross and when they do, I'll eat them all up!" The troll rubbed his belly while a large thick tongue slipped out to lick his lips. "And I will eat you all up too if you try to cross."

"Yeah." Sirius shook his head. "It's not going to happen. I mean look at them." Sirius pointed at the three goats. "They seem pretty happy where they are at now. Why would they want to cross? And we don't eat grass so…why not let us go?"

"The grass is greener on the other side." The troll pointed to a small section of grass. It was true, that patch of grass was thick and the greenest Sirius had ever seen. Yet, it was just that. A patch.

"But it doesn't make sense." Remus titled his head slightly, trying to understand the troll's thinking. "True, it is greener but it's only a little patch. While on this side..." Remus swiped his hand towards the meadow. "There is a much more to eat and though it isn't as green, it's still green."

"But my side is greener." The troll argued.

"But it's not better." Sirius argued.

"You wish to go to the other side." The troll asked.

"Yes." The two answered in union.

"To eat my grass!" The troll pointed his stick at Sirius belly, causing Sirius to step back.

"I don't want your bloody grass!" Sirius rubbed his stomach.

"It is greener on the other side!" The troll reminded him.

"But we don't eat grass." Remus spoke softly, trying to sooth the situation.

"Then why do you wish to cross?" The troll asked.

"To get to the other side." Sirius held his hands in the air. "Why else would anyone wish to cross?"

"To eat my grass!" The troll charged at them quickly. Lucky for Sirius and Remus, the troll was slow. Extremely slow. They side stepped him as he rushed at them. They hurried onto the bridge as the troll took a moment to realize he hadn't plowed them over.

"Now it looks like that is the other side." Sirius pointed to where the goats were eating.

"So now you must protect the goats from getting eaten, since they are bigger on the other side." Remus smiled broadly. The troll stood confused, nodding his head slowly thinking that this must be true.

"Well done." Sirius slapped Remus on the back.

"Well done to you as well." Remus returned the praise.

Both boys suddenly stopped as they looked forward. Pete and James sat under an apple tree on the side they had just crossed over. Peter was inspecting his yellow apple carefully for worms while James smartly chewed on his apple.

"Don't worry about it, Wormtail. If you get a worm you just added more protein to your diet. It's all good." James smiled brightly at the other boy.

"How'd you two get over here?" Sirius asked upon reaching them.

"We walked over the stepping stones." Peter nodded slightly down stream towards a small path that he and James had taken.

"Water isn't high at all." James crunched into his apple again. "I thought it would be quicker than trying to get a troll to make sense. Naturally, I was right."

"It's the principle of things." Remus quickly pointed out.

"Yeah." Sirius quickly agreed.

"Huh-huh." James stood up, dusted off his dirty jeans. "Well if we meet any more trolls along the way, we'll be sure you two negotiate the situation for us."

"Yeah." Peter grinned, picking up a few more apples and stuffing them in the sack Sirius had brought along with them.

"Shut up." Sirius growled while Remus glared.

"So…Did you ask the troll about our whereabouts?" Peter asked stuffing his and James' robes into his bag.

"Um…no, he wasn't really one for direction." Remus patted Peter on the back.

"Oh. Too bad." Peter shrugged it off easily enough. He hadn't expected much from the encounter with the troll. "Better place your robes in the bag. Don't know what kind of people we'll run into. Best look like Muggles, you know."

Sirius and Remus took off their robes, rolled them up and stuffed them down into the sack.

"Here, I know a spell to make everything we want fit and to make it a lighter." Remus took out his wands, casting the charm over the sack. Instantly it grew lighter. "We can take turns carrying it though. Make it fair for all."

James shrugged his shoulders and headed down the dirt lane while throwing a new ripe, yellow apple that he plucked from a low branch, into the air. The others quickly followed him down the lane.

"Maybe you are right, Peter." James grinned at his little posse. "Maybe we'll meet up with someone who might know where we are."

"I hope they are nice." Peter whispered.

"I hope they can tell us something useful." Remus added.

"I hope they have pretty daughters." Sirius sighed dreamly.

James spun quickly around, tossing the apple at Sirius face, who caught it quickly with a smirk. "A true Quidditch Player." James smiled proudly at his friend's reflex. "Now, give me my ball back."

"Apple, James." Remus sighed as James took off after Sirius who was running around the group with the apple. "It's an apple."


	2. Lost

_A/N: Um...well thanks for the one review. Its better then none. Slow start maybe or maybe no one is interested still, I am going to try and write it out. Hope you like the next chapter. Sorry about this chapter being so short. I hope this weekend I will have a larger part up. _

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><p>Peter slowly raised his foot, grimacing at the mud that held onto his shoe. He glanced around the area that he and his friends were now lost in. He wasn't sure whose fault it was that got them lost but personally he wanted to blame James and Sirius.<p>

"Let's go that." Peter recollected when he had pointed to a nice path paved with yellow dirt that looked to be gold when the sun, which was shining on the other side, sent its ray to clear out the shadows.

Remus, Peter recalled, had agreed with Peter. "I second that absolute remarkable idea, Pete's. Does he not have the most brilliant ideas? The boy is a genius, I swear! I say we follow his good and clever advice and take the path that is pleasant and non-harmful. While that way..." Remus pointed to the crooked, leafless trees that etched the pathway that was filled with damp mist, fog and darkness. "..Will get us murdered."

Well, maybe Remus didn't say that exactly but Peter was sure he felt the same way. Unlike Sirius who had to say, "It's an adventure, James. Be a man, pick the mysterious, dreadful, way that will sure lead to our deaths." And of course, Peter remembers that James was all over that idea. The stupid git.

So now they were lost in some kind of marsh with mud up to their ankles and their clothing all wet from the dampness. They did have their wands illuminate and it helped a little but the fog was much too thick now to see clearly.

Peter turned his attention back to his friends and suddenly realized they weren't in front of him any longer. In fact, they weren't anywhere his eyes could see. "Guys?" Peter whispered into the fog with dread and fear of actually being heard by something terrifying. He glanced around, straining to hear a voice in the darkness but none came. In fact, the whole area had fallen into an eerie silence. "Guys!" Peter yelled louder, panicking now. He stumbled forward in hopes of colliding into Remus or maybe even James. Not Sirius, he was getting too agitated with Peter's constant grumbling.

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><p>Remus frowned at the sudden silence behind him. With James and Sirius, nothing is exactly ever quiet but there was a slight tone within the air around them. "Hey." Remus called forward to his two friends who both were leading the small back. Sirius turned around but James kept moving forward, talking as if the world only had ears for him.<p>

"Just saying that there was no way he could have scored that goal if I were there." James was telling the world.

"James." Remus called out to him. Sirius grabbed the back of James' shirt, pulling the younger boy back.

"What?" James asked with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"Peter's gone." Remus pointed to the empty space beside him.

James and Sirius both glanced around trying to spot their plump friend but the fog made it difficult to see each other and they were standing side by side.

"Maybe he went to piss." James frowned, trying to see if he could spot any trees.

"Without holding one of our hands?" Sirius rolled his eyes. "I doubt it. Besides, I think he did his business when he heard that shrill of a scream an hour ago."

"What was that?" James asked the other two, who both shrugged. "Well then maybe his shoe untied and…" James gave a side glance at Sirius. "Did you just growl at me?"

"James." Sirius put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Peter wouldn't swallow his own spit out here if we weren't beside him. He's lost. It's as simple as that. The boy got lost. He probably lagged behind and…well, he's Peter. I have no need to say more."

"So we back track." James grinned confidently. "Just turn around and head the way we came."

"I can't remember how many left turns we made, Prongs." Remus sighed, suddenly feeling very tired.

"I made some right turns maybe after the lefts but there was…" James argued

"Peter!" Sirius cupped his hands and yelled loud enough for James to cover his own ears. "Peter where the bloody hell are you! Don't make me come and find you because you'll wish you stayed lost!"

"Well I am sure he will eagerly come now that the voice of reason called to him." Remus sarcastically muttered.

"Naturally." Sirius pushed passed Remus a bit roughly. "Peter!"

"Pete!" James called out. "I've got a hamburger!"

"James." Remus scolded.

"With extra cheese!" Sirius added. "Come out where ever you are!"

The marsh remained quiet.

James pulled his fingers through his hair as he glanced around the area. Sirius was right in saying that Peter wouldn't had just taken off without someone being with him. Not in these spooky woods. He slapped a mosquito off his neck. "Well, I guess we'll have to look for him. He's probably sitting on some water down log complaining to the tree frogs about how we got him lost."

"No doubt." Sirius agreed but a small feeling in his gut told him that currently, their friend was lost.

"Just no one else wander off. Understand?" James watched his two friends nod their heads. He pointed at the way he believed they had come. "Well, come on. We'll just go this way."

"How do you know that is the way to go?" Remus asked before James could take a step.

"Because I have a wonderful sense of direction." James gave him a grin that would reassure anyone but them.

"Huh-huh." Sirius swatted away a beetle. "Remus, how did we get here in the first place."

"I believe it was because James liked this direction, Sirius." Remus replied with a smirk.

"And that time we got lost in the forbidden forest, why was that Mooney?" Sirius asked.

"I believe it was because James thought Hogwarts laid to the south, Padfoot." Remus once again replied.

"And which direction did we actually go?" Sirius questioned.

"We went North and a bit east once he turned in a circle." Remus responded.

"I do believe those directions led us to some fabulous adventures." James rolled his hazel eyes.

"It led us into trouble, Prongs." Remus reminded him.

"It led us into detention." Sirius added.

"Yes maybe so but we had fun, didn't we?" James reasoned. "And once we find Wormtail, we will be laughing at the fun we are having now!"

"B-but." Sirius opened his mouth.

"We are having fun." James made his fingers express a shut-up sign. "We are! Now, let us go find our lost friend and we will all laugh over this while we warm ourselves near a fire."

Sirius leaned against Remus' shoulder. "I'm not having fun at all."

Remus shook his head. "Nor am I."

Sirius and Remus walked behind James caution. "I sincerely doubt that Peter is having the time of his life right now."

"He's probably hiding in a log from a squirrel." Remus agreed.

"He's not going to be laughing when we find him." Sirius added.

"Unless Wormtail has gone insane." Remus huffed.

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><p>Peter wasn't sure how he did it, in fact he could only speculate that it was a miracle that he had found his way out of the marsh. Nevertheless, there he stood in a little clearing. He could see enough of the clear sky to know it was late afternoon. He held his stomach as a growl echoed from deep within him. He needed food. He needed to rest and he needed to sleep. Just a little nap. Being a marauder always tired him out more easily than it did the others.<p>

Once again, Peter saw a miracle because there, in the clearing was a small little cottage. Surely the inhabited would have some food. Give him a moment to rest and maybe send an owl for help, for where ever help would be.


	3. Three Bears

A/N: Thanks to the two reviews. Hope you all like the next chapter.

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><p>Taking a quick look around for hostile owners of the property, Peter slowly made his way closer to the small cottage. Everything from the outside was perfectly cared for. The grass was a deep green and cut in little square patterns. Not one area had a blade of grass taller than the other. The garden had not a strain of weed rising from the rich soil. The home looked as though it had been freshly painted with bright white trims and a blazing blue. The windows sparkled in the light of the sun.<p>

Peter smiled to himself with a warm feeling about the house. With great caution, he made his way up onto the porch. He raised his fist to the door, knocking twice before putting his hand down and waited. He counted to thirty in his head then knocked three times move. Still, after a moment of waiting no one came to the door.

Peter glanced around the area, even walked behind the home in hopes in finding someone. Yet, there was no one around the cottage. After completing a trip around the house, Peter found himself on the porch, in front of the door once more.

"What would James do?" Peter thought for a moment. He glanced once more around the homestead before twisting the door knob and opening the door.

He poked his head through the door first. "Hello?" He waited for an answer but no came. Walking through the door, attentively he looked around in a hopeful yet fearful anticipation of finding someone. A small part of him wanted meet the owners of the home, after all his friends were lost in the marshes. Another part of him however, wanted to avoid confrontation as he just walked into their home uninvited.

"H-hello." He called out a little louder but not any braver. "Anyone here? I-I got lost in the marshes." He explained going through room after room. It was a cozy home with a small fire place. On top of the mantel was a family picture for three people, probably the family that lived in the cottage.

They looked pleasant enough, in Peter's eyes. In fact, the father resembled his Uncle Todd slightly. He had a large round face and thick lips. He was a hairy man as well. With thick hair on his head, a thick beard running down his face. Even the man's arm, which he had draped over the mother, had dark bristly hair sprouting from the skin. The whole family was in fact a bit large. Under the picture read, 'The Bears.'

Peter glanced around once more, observing the area when a warm smell caught his nose. He followed the aroma and found himself in the kitchen where it looks as though food was placed just for him. His stomach growled with hunger and without hesitation, he sat at the table and served himself.

Warm biscuits, hot potatoes, buttered corn, and mouthwatering honey glaze chicken filled his plate, after he helped himself of course. He ate it all, taking seconds and then thirds before helping himself to a whole apple pie. He drank down what tasted to be berry wine and refilled his cup once more. When he thought he couldn't bare another bite, he unsnapped his pants and took one more piece of chicken with him as he left the table.

He wandered into the small family room. With books on the shelves, the warm crackling fire place snapping in the quiet home brought tranquility to him.

"After all that walking, it would feel good to just sit down for a little bit before I go in search of my friends." Peter told himself with self-reassurance. He glanced at the large chair that seem to beckoning him to come over and sit on it.

Peter quickly sat down on the chair, pushed his weight back against its extra padding and let the foot rest pop out from under the chair. He sighed and closed his eyes slightly. Though the chair was comfortable, it just seemed to swallow him. He grunted as he struggled up, his hands greasy from the chicken slipped usefully from the smooth material of the chair. Finally, by rolling and flopping like a fish out of water, Peter escaped the large chair.

He placed his well-rounded bottom into a chair slightly smaller than the one he just bolted from. This chair had a nice cushion for one's rear end but the back was high and hard. It also squeaked, to Peter's announce, every time he moved. He quickly sat up from that chair, casting it a glare before finding his way to a small chair.

He sat down roughly on the chair and because his size was too great for the chair, it collapsed under his weight. Peter scrambled off the floor, glancing around franticly hoping that no one heard the small crash. Satisfied that no one was coming to investigate the noise, Peter toed the broken chair before deciding it was best to move on.

Yet he was dreadfully tired. The night before was restless as much as Sirius and James usually were. He had tossed and turned all night, barely getting any sleep and once he did…well James was rudely waking him up because at three in the morning he had a splendid idea about peppermint flavored coco and a trip into the potion's masters personal stock of bottled ingredients.

Peter eyed the stairs, knowing they lead to a bedroom. He looked back at the door, knowing he should just go and search for his lost friends. "I would be more of assistance if I had some rest." Peter told himself. He nodded his head, agreeing with himself before taking off to the upstairs room.

He entered the first room with a door and smiled at the large bed that greeted him. Peter quickly jumped on the bed, practically rolling around on it. Though the comforts were nice and fluffy, the mattress was not. In fact, it felt like he was sleeping on Hogwart's floor, which was not so nice.

With great disappointment, Peter climbed out of the bed and made his way down the hall where he found another bed. It was much smaller and the room was a bit more cheerful. He slipped on the bed and instantly he sank. The mattress was filled with water. Every time Peter moved slightly, a wave would roll under him. After his large snack, it wasn't a wonder that he became a bit ill from the constant movements under him.

He left the room, holding his stomach with a sour pinched look to his face. Peter came to the end of the hall with a door slightly opened. He pushed at the door and smiled brightly. The room was made up of simple colors of red and gold. It felt like his own room back at Hogwarts. There was a small fire place in the corner that allowed the room to remain warm to his damp body. He carefully sat on the bed. Bounced his rear off of it. It wasn't too hard. It wasn't too soft. In fact, it was just right. Peter kicked off his shoes just before stretching out on the bed. "Just a little nap, then I'll find you guys." Peter whispered to himself before his eyes drifted shut.

* * *

><p>Sirius glanced down from the edge of the cliff. A large body of rough water raged under his footing. He then looked at the small vine bridge James quickly built by tossing a loop over the other side and binding it to a rock with his wand. "You got to be kidding me?"<p>

"Nah, we can do it." James smiled brightly, ever so sure of himself. "You just, you know, walk." He made an 'after you' gesture with his hands. Sirius glared at him and slowly shook his head.

"What do we hang on to?" Remus viewed the bridge with less esteem then James.

"Broom riding is not only a skill but a trait of balance. One must be in perfect balance or you fall off." James placed a foot on the thin vine, then another. He held both of his arms out to steady his balance. "Balance is a natural skill of all fliers." James explained as moved forward.

"Tell me when it's over." Sirius closed his eyes.

"Well at the very least we could tie a rope around each other just in case." Remus called to James who was half way over the deep cliff.

"James, listen to Moony." Sirius caught his breath as James, forever showing off, pivoted around to face them on his high wire act. "Besides, Peter would never had gone this way. He wouldn't have survived this…"

"Senseless." Remus voiced. "Impulsive, death-defying idea."

"Yes. Thank you Remus." Sirius nodded.

"Adventure guys." James' hazel orbs sparkled. When one said he couldn't do it, James just had to prove that he could. "We have done a lot worse in Hogwarts."

"Yes." Remus agreed. "But there are people there to help us when it went wrong."

"And there were times it had gone wrong." Sirius sighed in relief when James finally made it over. Though it probably took only a few minutes, it felt like a life time.

"Yes, well you can't hang onto their robes all you're lives, boys." James goaded them. "Come on. Take a chance."

Remus looked down at the deep water and back at James who waited patiently on the other side. This was just too impractical for him. There was no way he would make it. Yes, he could fly but this wasn't flying. It didn't take talent, it took sheer stupidity to make it over the other side.

"Well then." Sirius took a deep breath. "Guess I'll go next."

Remus caught his arm. "Don't. We can find another way. Maybe a tree fallen over or something."

Sirius nodded his head in agreement. "But that would leave James alone on the other side."

"Maybe not for long. It could be just around the next bend." Remus looked down river.

"Or maybe not." Sirius shrugged before taken putting a foot on the line.

"That's it!" James hooted. "Just close your eyes and put one foot in front of another. If you can walk, you can do this!"

"Shut the hell up." Sirius yelled, his concentration shaking as James' mouth kept moving. James closed his mouth but kept pacing back and forth at the edge of the cliff. The boy just couldn't stay still long enough to wait patiently.

James practically jumped on Sirius once he made it clear of the bridge. Lucky, Sirius was still in tuned with is balance or he would have fallen on the other side. "Now your turn, Moony!" James waved for Remus to come along.

"If I die." Remus carefully placed a foot on the vine. "I am coming back to haunt you."

"Yeah and then when I die," James smirked. "I'll come back and haunt the soul of your dead self."

"its times like this I am glad to be your friend." Sirius said dryly, his eyes never leaving Remus as the boy carefully made his way towards them. After a moment of silence, which was unnatural for James, Sirius turned his attention to his younger friend and frowned at James' expression. "What is it?"

James shook his head and gave Sirius a small shaky smile. "Thought I saw someone on the other side, is all."

"Peter?" Sirius searched the area they had just come across, trying to find something that didn't belong there. "Not seeing anything, Prongs." He glanced again at James who kept his eyes steady in one location. James wasn't searching but staring at one area. "James?"

"Hurry up, Remus!" James cupped his hands together to yell at the boy on the vine. "I'm growing old just waiting for you!" He joked but there was an edge to his voice that Sirius didn't like.

Apparently Remus heard it as well. He glanced up from his footing with a frown. He spotted James, now waiting at the edge of the cliff for him to cross. But James wasn't looking at him, he was looking over his shoulder. Remus felt the hairs on the back of his neck stick up. Slowly he turned to glance behind him. He blinked a few times but saw nothing. Yet, he felt something. He quickly turned to James and just from the look on the boy's face, Remus felt the need to hurry across. He was almost within reach when his foot slip.

"Remus!" Sirius flung the traveling bag into James' stomach and dived towards Remus, reaching his hand out for Remus to take hold. But he was already falling. "Remus!" Sirius cried down, watching with horror as Remus fell into the thrashing water below.


	4. Lil Red

_A/N: Wow, four reviews. tough crowed. Anyways for those who are reading, here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy. I don't really enjoy putting new characters in the story but I thought Lil Red and Remus would make a good story so she's going to be hanging on for a little bit. Sirius and James will soon be in there own little story as well. James already is starting to and Sirius, well there is a lot of princess in the fairy tale books. I haven't forgotten about Peter either. Once I get the guys in the right spot, I'll go back to get them out of that spot. Again, hope you like._

* * *

><p>James and Sirius walked by the cliff's edge as they followed the river downstream. They were hoping to catch a sight of Remus or some kind of indication that he had made it out of the thrashing water alive. So far, they had found none.<p>

"I used a spell, you know." James looked over at Sirius who remained sullen since Remus fell.

"Summissus Impetus." James smiled lightly but received not one flicker of hint from Sirius that showed he was even listening. Still, James had to speak. The silent treatment was worse punishment James could ever be given. "It slowed his speed down." James moved his hand in a plummeting spiral course. "So…"

"So you broke his fall." Sirius patted James on the back mockingly. "Good job. Now what about surviving that raging tributary below us? Did you send him a life jacket? An inflatable boat perhaps?"

"Well no." James frowned while holding up their sack, giving it a little pat. "Don't have it in the bag."

Sirius shook his head more in frustration then anger. "I should have listened to him back there."

"Listen to him? About what?" James asked curiously.

"About finding another way to cross. That's what Moony wanted to do in the first place. He didn't want to cross but you did it. You had to say it was easy." Sirius glared at his best mate. "You make things seem so bloody easy, it's hard on us who try to keep up with you."

"He almost made it." James mumbled looking down the side of the cliff, which he started to find easier to do then looking at Sirius. He hated the guilt Sirius was placing on him. If Remus said he couldn't do it, well then he would had found another way to get him across.

"Yeah until you started freaking out." Sirius growled.

"I didn't freak out." James frowned, now glaring at Sirius. "I was trying to encourage him to move a bit faster is all."

"Because you became frightened of shadows?" Sirius lifted his eyebrows when James turned his attention back to the cliff side. "What did you see anyways?"

James shrugged his shoulders. He honestly couldn't make it out clearly. A shimmer of something but it was the presence of this…thing that gnawed at James.

"Prongs? You saw something, I heard it in your voice." Sirius nudged his shoulder into James' arm. "Fess up."

"I-I think it was just a speck on my glasses." James voice was hardly audible.

"What?" Sirius leaned closer to James in order to hear the boy.

"I had dirt on my glasses, okay." James glared at Sirius. "A speck, alright. It was…"

"Your glasses were dirty?" Sirius stopped walking, standing with his head slightly tilted looking at James' glasses.

"Yeah. Walking through all that mud, I was bound to get mud on them." James shrugged indifferently.

"Your glasses." Sirius eyes were still focused on James' specks. "Your bloody glasses were dirty."

"Yeah." James started moving away from Sirius but the other boy was faster. Sirius reached out, snatched the glasses from James' face. "Sirius, I need them."

Sirius threw the glasses on the ground and started to jump up and down on them between each word. "You. And. Your. Stupid. Dirty. Glasses. He. Fell. Because. You. Couldn't. Clean. Your. Glasses. Off!"

When Sirius was done, James glasses laid in ruins. The frames were smashed and the lenses were shattered. "Hell with you." James dug out his wand, squinting to see his ruined spectacles. "I can't see without them, stupid git." James pointed his wand over the remains of his glasses. "Reparo."

Sirius pulled his fingers through his hair. He felt like everything was falling apart. First Peter was right about something, then they are push through this portkey, no one knew where they were, Peter goes missing then they lose Remus yet James is standing there like it was an everyday occurrence. Well, maybe it is when they are at Hogwarts. This wasn't Hogwarts.

On his part, James felt just as Sirius but it was obvious that Sirius was stressing out for the both of them. He hadn't been completely honest with Sirius, not about what he had seen. There was something there or better put, someone there. He felt this person presence before he saw it and it was like instant fear seeped into his veins. A chill raced through him yet Sirius didn't see or didn't feel it's presence so maybe it was only James imagining it. Maybe nothing was really there.

* * *

><p>Remus, however put even more doubt into James' mind. James saw the look in Remus' eyes. There was alertness and not because he was walking on a thin rope. No, he felt something there as well. Was it because Remus was a werewolf? Then again, why did he feel something and not Sirius.<p>

Unknowing to Sirius and James, Remus did in fact survive the rough waters of the river. He kept his body loose and went with the flow of the water, saving his strength. Then, when the river started to mellow out, he began to swim towards now low banks of the river.

He dragged himself onto dry land and laid there for a moment. It all seemed to happen in slow motion, the falling part. In fact, he was sure that the closer he got to the river the slowly his fell became.

Now he was separated from Sirius and James. Peter was still missing. This adventure wasn't turning out to be anything like the Marauders'' adventure at Hogwarts.

He took out his wand, thankful he even had it at all, in order to dry his clothes off. They no longer were caked with mud, which he was happy about. Sitting up, Remus took in his surroundings. Where ever here was, it now resembled a forest. "Best keep moving." He told himself as he slowly stood up. He gave a large stretch, making sure all his body parts were in working order before following the river. Eventually he would come to a town that survived off the river. He hoped it was friendly town.

* * *

><p>"We need to find a place to sleep for the night, James." Sirius looked up at the fast approaching even sky. "Or we will walk off the cliff and not even know it."<p>

"It's not as high." James noted seeing that the river was now closer in view. "Not like a few miles back and we have been going downhill for an hour or so."

Sirius peered over the edge, noticing too how it sloped downwards. "Maybe so but it's still a long way down."

"We have our wands." James illuminated the tip of his wand and held it up to Sirius face, almost catching him in the eye.

"Huh." Sirius grinned while pulling James' arm down. "Still, we need to rest."

"I'm good." James bounced a bit to show him that he could keep going.

"We've got merely two hours sleep the previous night, James." Sirius reminded him.

"And…" James pressed.

"And I need atleast two more hours tonight." Sirius grinned, never being able to stay mad at James for long. He knew that if anyway was possible, James would had prevented Remus' fall.

"Fine but only two." James held up two fingers. "Then we continue our search for Remus and Pete."

The two boys glanced around and noted the large rocks sticking out from the ground, the pine cones that littered the floor and the dampness seeping off the river. "Maybe we should find more suitable camping site." James suggested.

"Good idea." Sirius nodded to the bag James was now carrying. "Maybe Peter pocketed some food in there."

"I know a few apples were put in here." James opened it up, rummaging through it as they walked.

* * *

><p>At first Remus thought he was seeing things. He lay between two fallen trees, his arm rested under his head as a pillow. He had wish he kept his robe with him but that was with the traveling bag. He was dozing off when he heard the snap of twigs close to where he laid in silence. Carefully he lifted his head up to see over the log and there she was, slipping in and out of sight.<p>

A thin mirage dotting in and out of his vision but as the image came closer, the more realistic it looked. It was a girl with hair so light a color blonde it looked almost white. Her skin was illuminated by the evening stars gracing the sky so brightly without the presence of the moon. She was cloaked in a red cape and carried a basket with her.

He stood up, slowly hoping he wouldn't startle her too much. The young girl did stop instantly on seeing him. She glanced around nervously, Remus guess it was to see if he was alone or if there were others in the forest.

"Hello." Remus waved awkwardly, his voice sounding just as awkward. The girl didn't give an encouraging wave back. "I um…I'm lost." Still the girl remained where she stood. "Probably told not to speak to strange people you meet in the middle of the night, in a forest at that." Remus laughed nervously. "But I swear, I'm lost. I have three other friends but…" He held up his hands. "Not a clue where they are at the moment."

"What are you doing out here?" The girl asked carefully slowly walking from tree to tree, keeping an object between her and him and also a bit of distance.

"Getting lost, as I said." Remus sighed, shoving his hands into the pockets of his faded jeans.

"You were camping?" She asked attentively.

"Um…yeah." Remus smiled, it was a believable excuse why not go with it.

"In this forest?" The girl pointed a slim finger to the earth.

"Yeah, this forest." Remus looked around, seeing only trees.

"You're not from around here are you? I never seen the likes of you in town before. Who did you say your friends were?" The girl continue to quiz Remus.

"Well, no I'm not. My friends, they're aren't from around this area either." Remus careful walked towards the girl and she step back. "Miss, I'm not going to hurt you. I swear. I have nothing for a weapon in any case." Except for a wand but Remus didn't think it was wise to show it. "I'm terribly thirsty and yelling is making me hoarse."

"I'm alone in this spooky woods and here you are…" The girl held a hand out towards Remus. "Alone as well. I think I have reason to be overly caution considering what goes on in these woods."

"What goes on?" Remus frowned and looked around once again. "I don't understand. The whole place has been quiet. You're the only person I saw since I got separated from my friends."

The girl leaned slightly forward, her dark brown eyes growing larger. "Are you hurt?" She put her hand to her forehead.

Remus carefully placed his own hand over his head and wince at the tender spot that was sticky from bleeding. "It's nothing. I've had worse. I um…kind of fell into the river upstream." He pointed from the direction he had come from. "Hit a rock when I went under. It's not as bad as it looks. Head wounds, they always bleed more."

The girl stared at him for a moment as she gnawed over her instincts to run back home. She lifted her chin, pulled her shoulders back and marched over to Remus with her hand out. "I'm Alyssa."

Carefully Remus took her little hand in his own hand. Her long thin fingers wrapped tightly around his in a firm shake but to him, she felt fragile. "Remus."

"Well…" She took back her hand and wince on looking closer at his wound. "You best sit down so I can look at that." She took the white cloth off of the basket, showing that the basket was full of rolls and sweets. Remus sat on one of the logs, eyeing the basket hungrily.

Alyssa noticed and with a smile, she reached into the basket to give him a large sweet roll. "Here you enjoy while I look at that."

Taking a bite into the moist, soft bread treat was almost heaven. He hadn't relised how hungry he was until he spotted the food she a carried.

"Alyssa." Remus whispered the name, liking the way it felt on his tongue. It was a pretty name.

"Hmmm?" The girl hummed back as she leaned against his side to wipe the blood away. She smelled like warm vanilla.

"Um…" Remus searched for something to say. He hadn't realized that he spoke her name out loud. "What are you doing out in these woods?"

"None of your business, is it." Alyssa smiled friendly at him. "I am actually on my way to my grandmother's house. She has been awfully ill lately. She lives a distance away from my own home so Papa usually visits her." Alyssa step back the corners of her mouth pulled slightly in a frown. "But…well lately people have been whispering about something in these woods. Something terrible and Papa being a hunter went off in search of it. When he finds it, he is going to kill it."

"If there is something…" Remus struggled to find the right word. "Dangerous, maybe you should had stayed home. Especially if your father is hunting here."

"Someone needed to check up on Grandmother." Alyssa folded her slim arms in front of her as she stared at him crossly.

"Well, maybe I can walk with you just to make sure you are okay." Remus stood up, towering over the girl.

Her brown eyes danced in front of him as she ponder over the idea. Her cheeks were tainted red from the coolness of the night and her lips were stained with berries she must have picked along the way. "How about you walk with me part of the way. If I feel I should continue alone, you depart from me."

"I'd feel better if I see you to your grandmother's door." Remus pointed out.

"Well I'm not entirely convinced that I am safe with you." Alyssa turned to walk away but she looked over her shoulder to see if he was coming. "After all, you could be the big bad, wolf that has been terrorizing these woods and it might be better for me if you didn't know where grandmother lives."

* * *

><p>"Prongs." Sirius grabbed his friend by the shirt collar and pulled James in front of him. "Do you see what I see."<p>

"Yeah." James croaked out as he tried to pry his fingers between his collar and Sirius' strong grip. "Let me breath."

"It's a house, James." Sirius contintue to hold onto James.

"Air." James waved his hands dramatically. "Please."

"It's a house made out of cookies and.." Sirius wasn't sure if it was his stomach growling or if it actually came from him. "Candy. James, it's made out of candy too."

"Air…!" James pointed to his throat as he made wheezing sounds.

Sirius let him go a bit roughly, James choking in air theatrically. "We get to eat, Prongs. We can eat the window, the siding, the steps, the chimney, hell even the lawn."

"We had four apples moments ago." James rubbed his neck but followed Sirius towards the sweet house. "And don't you think it's a bit odd that someone would make a home out of candy?"

"It's a marvelously, insane thing to do but who am I to not take advantage of this home owner's stupidity?" Sirius plucked a daisy out from the garden and bit down on it. "Taste likes lemon drops. Have a taste." Sirius held out his flower toward James.

"I don't want to eat your pansy, Padfoot." James scrunched up his nose.

"Daisy, Prongs." Sirius rolled his eyes. "If the outside looks this good, imagine what the inside looks like!"

"Maybe it's stale." James looked inquisitively at the house. "I mean, who knows how long it's been out here, Sirius. Baking in the hot sun. Freezing in the winter. Getting soggy during the rain sprouts."

"It's a blessing, James." Sirius now stood on the steps, tapping on the candy coated glass window.

James sighed looking down at a bush of little marshmallow flowers when the air around him seemed to grow colder. He blew out slightly, watching as his breath turned puffy white in front of him. Slowly he turned to look back in the woods, seeing same figure he had at the river. Tall in form, a dark cloak covering it, moving with the body in a shimmer form.

James hurried up onto the porch, not hestastaing to open the door. He took a hold of Sirius' arm, pulling him in as well. Quickly James shut the door behind them.

"James?" Sirius was taken back at James' change of behavior.

"Do you see it?" James peered out the window. "Over there, by that tall tree."

Sirius bent down to peer out the window as well. "James, all the trees are tall."

"Over there." James tapped the window with his index finger. "See it?" James looked at Sirius hopeful. Hoping that his friend saw it too but Sirius was already shaking his head.

"Sorry mate." Sirius stood straight, his eyes showing concern for his friend. "There's nothing out there. Sure you don't have a speck of dirt on those glasses again."

"I'm bloody sure." James growled. "Hell, Sirius he's standing right there!"

"And I don't see it. There isn't anything out there, James." Sirius looked out the window again, but still saw nothing.

"It's like a… Dementor but different." James watched the lone figure vanish back into the woods. "Stronger." James whispered. "It's stronger than a dementor."

Sirius watched James who continue to peer out of the window until it was so dark, even the shadows disappeared. "Come on. Let's eat this house."

"This house probably have rodents, you know." James complained, still unsettled by the cloaked figure outside.

"Ah well, it wouldn't be fun if it was perfect." Sirius shrugged. "I wonder what the loo is made out of."

"You're not are you?" James made a disgusted face, his hazel eyes growing larger.

"Don't be stupid." Sirius laughed, pulling James with him as he searched the home. "But wouldn't it be a good prank to take home with us."

"I'm not carrying a toilet around." James complained. "And it's not going in the bag. It will defect the snitches!"

"Apples, James." Sirius reminded him. "They are apples."

"I'm having withdrawal, give me some slack here." James complained.


	5. hansel and gretel

With blankets pulled up to his chin, Peter snuggled in a warm dream of floating candy apples and pink bubbles blowing softly as far as eye could see. There he sat in a field of poppies while the sun's warmth gave him the feeling of security.

Then, without warning, the sky darkened with rolling, thick dark clouds. The sky snapped and growled with anger above him before splats of rain assaulted his youthful face.

Peter frowned as he reached a hand up to his face to wiping the drizzle off his face. The droplets were a bit sticker then rain should be as it was a bit thick too. Peter started to run, the wind howling after him. Though his legs were pumping, his body wasn't moving. He was snagged, caught by the tree.

With the dream shifting so quickly into a nightmare, Peter quickly woke with a start. However, his dream wasn't quite a lie as he stood, dangling by strong hands by the scruff of his neck. The howling wind was not so much the wind but the man howling with anger.

'You dare come into my home!' A large man shook Peter as he spoke, spraying the boy with saliva. 'You dare eat my food! Break my furniture! Lay in my baby's bed!'

'I- I can explain.' Peter held up his hands to ward off another spray of spit. 'I g-got lost, see…in the marshes, I was separated from my three friends. I walked for a long time, sir. I saw your home and I was seeking shelter a-and then I saw your food…I haven't eaten for a long time, sir….'

'You are a thief! A scoundrel!' The burly man shouted.

'N-no!' Peter quickly shook his head. 'Just hungry and sleepy. T-the chair that was an accident. I stuck around so I could explain, see?'

The man snarled, swerving Peter around until he came face to face with a woman and a child. Both had a bit more facial hair then his Aunt Bertha. 'What say you, dearest?'

'Well..' The lady seemed to soften a bit at Peter, until she looked down at her little girl. 'I want to believe the child, sweet um.'

Peter smiled brightly at the lady.

'But.' Peter's smile deflated. 'What if he is tangled up with the wolf?'

'Mamma, what if he is the wolf?' The child ask as she slinked behind her mother's skirt.

'I-I'm not a wolf!' Peter eyes grew large. Why did he always get into these messes? 'Honest! I wouldn't hurt anybody.'

'We should believe you? A thief? A vandalizer?' The man shook his head, his eyes narrowing at Peter. 'I think not!' He roughly dragged Peter out of the bedroom, practically threw the boy down the steps all the while, cursing the boy for entering his home.

'What are you going to do, sugar dums?' The mother asked with a hand over her heart, another over her mouth. Her young child continued to peer around her long skirt, quite proud of her daddy for catching the bad wolf.

'I know what I am not going to do but fear that I should do.' The man sighed as he looked his wife. 'I should cut off his head.'

'Please, no!' Peter squeaked. 'I don't want to die.'

'Death is a blessing wolf!' The man rumbled.

'I-I'm not a wolf!' Peter gulped a mouthful of air but had a difficult time swallowing it.

'Best gather wolf bane to put around the windows and doors, dove.' The man ignored Peter as he spoke to his wife. 'The beast now knows where we live. Best protect ourselves.' With that, he shoved Peter out the door and towards the woods. The man only stopped once to grab a long rope.

'Sir, please. I'm no wolf.' Peter kept on trying to convince the man free him. 'I don't even own a pet dog.'

'You think this is funny?' The man shook Peter to the ground suddenly and proceed to hog tie him. 'Think this is a game, scaring family folks? Harming children? Do you?'

'No. I would never harm anyone!' Peter lips started to quiver. He didn't want to die. Specially alone where no one would ever know. 'Please, let me go. I'm not a wolf. I'm not going to hurt anyone. Don't kill me!'

'Killing you would be the best thing for you!' The man barked. 'But I'm a peaceful man. So this is what I am going to do. I'm going to tie you to this here tree. Understand?'

Peter nodded his head but he still shivered with fear.

'You got nothing to fear.' The man watched Peter nod his head again, as he proceeded to tie the boy to the tree. 'Not until night falls because that is when the beast comes out.' Peter whimpered. 'But so does the hunter, for he tracks the beast. If you're not a wolf, well the wolf might get ya. If you are a wolf, well the hunter might get you. Either way, I leave you in peace and you will never cause me harm again!' With that the man started to walk away.

'N-no! Wait! Sir! Please! I beg you, don't leave me like this!' Peter quickly looked around, noticing that the shadows were already on the ground. 'I-I know a wolf! I could bring him to you! All you have to do is let me go!'

The man stopped in his tracks. He slowly turned towards Peter, who relaxed now he got the man's interest. Peter watched the large man walk close to him. Slowly the man bent down to Peter. 'Why would I want you to bring me the wolf? Are you threating my family?'

'N-no.' Fear risen back into Peter. 'I-I thought that if you had the wolf, t-then you could get rid of it and I could be on my way.'

The man studied the boy for a moment. 'To know the beast is to be a beast.' The man spat.

* * *

><p>'So explain this to me again.' Remus twisted a twig in his hand as he walked close to Alyssa. They were now on a path littered with fallen leaves and every step they took caused the leaves under foot to crackle. 'I do understand the need for you to check upon your grandmother, especially since she is ill. What I don't understand is why this late in the evening if you know, whatever it is that prowls this forest, would be lurking in those late hours? Wouldn't it be safer to do so in the early mornings, maybe afternoon hours? '<p>

The young girl smiled up at Remus, giving her eyes a slight roll. 'I am not to leave the town at all. Whether it is day or night, I am not to leave it. Do you know what that is like?' Alyssa puffed out her cheeks. 'Every day is the same day. Get up at the same time. Do the same routine, day after day.'

'Better a safe routine then being dead.' Remus voiced reasonable.

'If I can't live, then aren't I already dead?' She watched lift his both his hands in the air, as to weight the choices. With a small laugh, she placed her hand on his arm to lower his arm. 'Yes of course safety is important but – ugh. Do you know what it's like to be trapped?' She shook her head and sighed. 'Of course not. Look at you, out here on an adventure with your friends. You are allowed this freedom.'

'There is other ways a person can be trapped.' Remus whispered, throwing the twig aside. 'I do understand what you are feeling but I understand the importance of protection as well. There is some things you should fight against but others, like a monstrous beast, well you avoid those.'

'Well I'm not. My grandmother doesn't. ' Alyssa held a hand before her. 'She lives in these woods, alone. An old lady out here and the creature never harms her.'

'Perhaps it is the protection of her home that allows that?' Remus logically stated. 'After all, why go after a sheltered lady when there is an unprotected one right in its mist?'

'She swears she has spoken to it.' Alyssa went on. 'Everyone else believes she is crazy but I don't. She says the wolf walks right up to her and they speak.' Alyssa pointed to her temple. 'Like whispers in the mind or something like that.'

'Does your granny eat a lot of wild mushrooms by chance?' Remus grinned, jokingly.

'What are you suggesting?' Alyssa playfully smacked him in the arm, not hurting him a bit. 'Maybe you should visit my grandmother as well. I think you will find her interesting.'

'Yeah, I can imagine the introduction. As you explain how you meant this strange, scruffy looking boy in the woods. A bit odd, don't you think?' Remus lifted his eyebrows.

'Haven't you been listening? My grandmother speaks to creatures; I doubt she will think this is odd.' Alyssa stopped walking and peered down onto the forest floor. 'What on earth is that?' She picked up the object up and held it so Remus could see.

'It's a snitch!' Remus smiled brightly, taking the apple from her hand.

'A snitch? It's an apple, which someone had stuck two feathers through its core.' Alyssa looked around once more but there was nothing else odd. They now stood at the fork of the path.

'No, no. See the leaves are to be wings.' Remus threw the apple into the air and catching it in its flight downward. 'A bit hard to explain but it means my friends went this way.'

Alyssa wiggled her mouth as she looked down one pathway and then the other. 'These path breaks off in two directions, Remus.' She pointed down a sloping, winding path. 'That leads to my grandmother's home.' She pointed in the other direction, it also snaked around corners but it looked to be going upwards. 'That is a forbidden pathway. I'm told there is an evil witch that lives within the line of the path. Passed the cave, pass the cliff and on the other side. The story is that she lures the innocent into her home and they are never seen again.

Remus looked at one path and then the other. He looked at the snitch looking apple, which gave no indication of the directions his friends went. 'Knowing my friends as I do, I believe they went the forbidden way. Even if it's unknown to them, it seems to be the only path they know.'

Alyssa nodded, not sure of what to say from this point. The silence was awkward to say the least.

'I- I um, could walk you to your grandmother's home.' Remus offered, it was the gentleman thing to do after all. See the girl safely to her loving grandmother.

'I'd like that but best you hurry to warn your friends. I'm not sure how long they have if they are caught.' Alyssa nervously shifted the basket in her hand.

'You're probably right.' Remus shifted one foot to the next.

'Well.' Alyssa held a hand up, giving him a weak wave. 'Thanks.'

'Pleasure.' Remus waved back, slowly turning to go the forbid path.

'Remus?' Alyssa called out to him. He turned, watching her slowly make her way in his direction. She peered down at the hand that held the warped apple. Placing her hand on top of his and the apple, she looked back up at him. 'I could come with you.'

'It could be dangerous.' Remus shook his head.

'I-I think you are my key to unlock my prison. Don't let me die here. ' Alyssa whispered, her hand going up to stroke his cheek. 'Help me live.'

* * *

><p>'Sixty-one. This is….great!' James bounced from foot to foot as he watched Sirius stuff his mouth with jelly beans. A bit disappointed that they weren't every flavor beans but still they were quite good. 'Sixty- two.' James counted as Sirius placed another bean into his mouth and started gagging. 'I do not want to leave this place ever…ever or ever.' James popped another chocolate crème into his mouth. 'This is going to be my honeymoon home! Seriously, Sirius it is. Me and Lily will vacation for all the seasons.'<p>

Sirius finally not being able to take any more jelly beans swallowed what had chewed up. He looked over at James, who was an utterly mess. Chocolate stained the boy's face. His hair was matted with white confectioners' sugar, which James seemed to have rolled in, causing it to stick up in thick spikes. His hazel eyes were brightly shining with the effects of the sugar trip he currently was in. He was constantly walking about and jabbering on about nonsense things.

'Are you eating a candle stick?' Sirius asked curiously, watching as James would munch the top off of a waxy looking object.

James nodded several times in very quick rapid movements, 'Yes. I believe it is supposed to be a candle but there is this thick, sugary, juicy stuff inside it. Well, after you get passed the wax stuff. Taste like candy canes. I sure do love candy canes. Going for the candy apples next! I love caramel apples. I lost my snitch, Sirius! I can't find it anywhere!'

'Maybe you ate it.' Sirius pushed himself away from the wall he was leaning on. 'Like how you ate the cover off the bed.'

'Icing. The bed is made out cake. A bit dry but the icing was pretty sweet.' James smiled brightly.

'You're turning into a Peter.' Sirius shook his head. 'Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe we should leave.'

'There is crème puffs in the cold closet!' James grinned widen.

'After the crème puffs, we go.' Sirius went into the kitchen where the refrigerator held the puffs.

'Think I'll gobble down a few more candles.' James told him while eying up a thick candle.

'Yea, you do that.' Sirius did not bother to turn around while he walked. Once he walked into the kitchen, he did stop. There in front of him was a humbled looking lady. She had been just taking her cloak off when Sirius entered into the room. 'Hey, James.'

'Yes dear?' James sang back. From where he stood, he couldn't see Sirius so he walked towards his voice.

'We are no longer alone.' Sirius looked over his shoulder as James approached.

The lady could only blink in her surprise. She had on shoulder out of the cloak, on still wrapped within it.

'Well this is awkward.' James looked at the old lady, then at his friend. 'How are you going to explain the clutter in her kitchen?'

Sirius quickly surveyed the mess. Eggs were broken on the floor, chairs flipped over, white sugar flour everywhere, chocolate smudges dotting the walls and a chocolate spoon half eaten was sticking to the ceiling. He looked at James, who was bouncing up and down on his heels, from head to toe and back again, noting that he was covered in everything the kitchen had to offer. 'Don't think I have to be the one explain, mate.'

'Tisn't my fault. I said, let's not. Let us find our friends. Let us be all noble and gallant. You said oohhh, chocolate.' James reminded him. 'Then you let me eat it and you know I shouldn't eat a lot of this stuff. But I said no and you said, try the window, try the counter, try the door knob – which wasn't all that good, by the way.'

'First, you didn't put up much of a fight.' Sirius held out a finger.

'I was hungry.' James shrugged.

'Secondly, You're mum said you would bounce off the walls.' Sirius held up a second finger. 'I wanted to see it happen.'

'I didn't bounce.' James confirmed.

'Yeah, you did a lot of bouncing.' Sirius started to count off a third finger when the lady stepped forward.

'It's alright dears.' She smiled in such a nice grandmotherly way that made the boys instantly feel as they could walk all over her. 'I made this house solely on the purpose for children like the both of you.'

'Does she mean the delinquent thing again?' Sirius staged whispered to James, who shook his head in response. Sirius frowned as sugar flew from James' head and onto his shoulder.

'Delinquents.' The lady brushed the idea aside with the wave of both her hands. 'Children are children. They behave just as children do.'

'We aren't children.' Sirius patted James on the back, a big puff of confectioners' sugar puffed off him like a cloud of dust. 'We are men.'

'Wait!' James held up his hand to pause the situation before turning to Sirius. 'Can we discuss this whole men thing?' James quoted with his fingers on saying men. 'Can't we be boys on the break of manhood or something? Saying we are men, well it's too much responsibility on my shoulders right now.'

'So you rather people to think of us as children?' Sirius was taken back. 'Are you mad? Children don't have any rights! It's do this and do that and go to bed at this time. Men, we stay up late!'

James smiled at the lady as she seemed a bit perplexed at their conversation. 'But men, well you own up to the wrong you do and…' James looked about the kitchen with a painful expression. 'I done a lot of wrong here today.'

'Have some pie.' The lady pushed a pie in front of Sirius face. 'It's pudding.'

'I love pudding.' Sirius smiled boyishly at her.

'Of course you do, dear.' She patted him affectingly on the shoulder. 'Go sit in the other room while I clean up this mess.'

'James did it.' Sirius pointed at James, who dropped his mouth.

'This is nothing.' The lady waved her hands in the air once more and crackled with laughter. 'Everything works out in the end, you'll see. Now go, eat.'

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Just wanted to thank all the reviews out there. I hope the story becomes better as it goes along. I have Jack and Jill coming to play, Snow White will be in a few chapters coming up - probably closer than that.


	6. Escapes

Peter twisted his wrist as he tried to free himself but it was pointless. His fingers were too weak to the loosen the knot. He sighed heavily as he relaxed as much as possible against the oak tree that captivated him. The shadows were growing dimmer now that darkness was a full blanket. The stars were out and shining brightly under the moonless night. It was a bit relief as being friends with a werewolf; he knew none would be out tonight. Yet there were plenty other ways one may die such as a murderous escapee from an asylum running amok through the forest. Or maybe a diseased squirrel was holed up in the trunk of the tree just waiting for Peter to falls asleep. Sirius had warned him that squirrels harbored murderous actions. Given a closer thought on the rodents, Peter could see Sirius statement being true. Squirrels were tricky creatures that seemed to mock the world. People all over the world tried to barricade these creatures from food, yet they always managed to proof higher intelligence by getting through the obstacles with quick and corky motions. Then there were the beady eyes and sharp teeth that could crush nuts that they hid behind a cute fluffy tail. Peter looked up at the oak tree knowing that they were up there, waiting for just the perfect time.

With a gulp, Peter forced himself to think of other things such as a warm plate of mashed potatoes and corn oozing with butter. Or perhaps chicken simmered in the finest sauces and pumpkin juice. Yes, that would be a treat. Peter shifted from one foot to another with a dreadfulness realization. He hadn't gone to the bathroom and now he wished he had.

* * *

><p>'Its like my friends to do this kind of thing.' Remus growled but there was an ever so slight of a grin to his lips. Alyssa smiled on as she walked close to Remus, feeling so very safe in his presence. 'It doesn't matter what we set out to do, they always find a way to add a bit of trouble.'<p>

'Maybe they are just a type to find it. Some people are unfortunate like that.' Alyssa gave his arm a sympathy squeeze.

'No, not them. See they are trouble. They make it and they enjoy it. It's quite a madness that I'm afraid has no cure.' Remus looked up at the beauty of the night's sky. His favorite moments were when the moon wasn't present. Almost as it didn't exist. 'Who ever crosses their paths will be in an experience they will never forget, I can assure you.'

'You don't approve of their behavior?' Alyssa asked as she observed the emotions on his face. 'Because I believe you do.'

'No…well, not all of it.' Remus grinned in spite of himself. 'Yes I suppose at times I find their behavior full of comicalness but that kind of stuff needs to be taken with care. Innocent people could get hurt and those guys, they don't think about that. As smart as they are, they just don't get it sometimes.'

'Well atleast you are there to help them along the way.' Alyssa didn't notice the frown.

'I'm not their keeper. They do what they like.' Remus nodded to the path before them. 'So tell me the story of this lady and what does she do that has everyone afraid of her? I'd like to know what we are up against.'

'Ah, let me think for a moment.' Alyssa nibbled on her lower lip as her thoughts went to the lady in the little cottage. 'Now, I have never seen it before but I am to understand that her home is made of sweets.'

'Sweets? Like candy and cakes?' Remus grinned a little, 'And chocolate, I suppose.'

'Yep. And chocolates.' Alyssa couldn't help but laugh as Remus' eyes lit up. 'For that, young travelers are often drawn to her home and they start to, well chow down the house. The lady of the home usually comes back with her door gnawed off and new guest for dinner. She feeds them and feeds them and then, they just disappear.'

'I don't understand how a place could exist. With the weather it would surely collapse.' Remus puzzled it over. Of course he thought of many spells that may keep the place intact but he very well couldn't mention it to Alyssa, as she being a muggle. 'As well as the captives, perhaps they just left. No one forced them to her home, if I understand correctly. Maybe she let them leave on their terms.'

'And never show up at either village?' Alyssa shook her head, causing her hair to tumble over her shoulder. 'No, something happened to them that made them disappear.'

'Maybe whatever happened to them happened on their way to the villages. The cottage is in the mist of nothing but the forest and as I recall, you have mentioned that a wolf prowls the area.' Remus shrugged his broad shoulders. 'Seems to me that maybe it got them.'

'No, there would be bodies. The previous attacks always left bodies behind. Unidentifiable bodies but nevertheless, bodies had been spotted.' Alyssa explained. 'But when this lady is involved, nothing is ever found. Some people say that she feeds off trespassers' youth.'

'Okay, so maybe she has a hand in their disappearances. Eating up their youth is a bit far.' Remus could agree with the lady knowing something or being part of the disappearances but that was all. 'But explain the home. Why doesn't wild life snack on the house? How would a breaded home even with stand a rain storm without getting soggy?'

'Well, it is enchanted.' Alyssa looked at Remus a bit weary. 'How else would it be protected by natural weather?'

'Enchanted? Like spells and potions?' Remus stopped walking and gave the girl before him his total undivided attention.

'Of course.' Alyssa back away slightly not liking the way Remus suddenly looked.

'You know about wizardry and witchcraft?' Remus pressured.

'Everyone knows about it.' Alyssa looked around nervously now. Rethinking that walking alone in the dark with this stranger was probably a bad move on her part.

'Everyone. So this whole area, is it part of the wizardry world?' Remus asked.

'Wizardry world?' Alyssa shook her head, not understanding him. 'It just has always been this way. There are a few witches and I believe there is to be rumored of a wizard b…but the whole land is enchanted. Everyone knows that. Everyone knows about the way the land works since childhood.' Alyssa narrowed her eyes at the tall boy, keeping a large space between them. 'But not you. Why do you not know?'

* * *

><p>'More pies, sweeties?' The home owner placed a whole pie in front of the two boys who sat at dinner room table.<p>

'I can't.' Sirius shook his head. 'I really would like to but I can't consumer another bite.'

'Oh I'm sure you have a bit more room in your tummy for another slice!' The overly cheery granny patted Sirius' stomach and frowned. 'My you are underfed! How am I ever to fatten the both of you up if you don't eat more pie!'

'I do love your pies, Madam.' Sirius removed her hand from his stomach. 'But I assure you that there is no more room in my stomach to harvests even the smallest morsel at this moment. I haven't even a spot to swallow my saliva.'

'That's not good. Not good at all.' The lady turned to James and pushed the pie closer to him. 'How about you, dearie? Fancy another slice?'

James gagged at the thought of picking up the fork. He put his head between his hands. 'I feel like the day after a fire whiskey night.'

'The boy cannot hold his pie or his whiskey.' Sirius shook his head with great amusement.

'Who are you to call me a boy?' James glared at Sirius.

'Am I not older then you?' Sirius smirked as James pulled a face. 'I rest my case.'

'I believe I need to evict the already consumed meal in my stomach, where is the bathroom?' James fighting back another gag as his stomach threatens to bring up his dinner.

'Oh, no. We wouldn't want you to be sick! Oh no, not good at all but I have something. That would be waste of food! Yes.' The old lady ran straight to her cupboards in the kitchen. Sirius leaned over the edge of his chair as he tried to keep an eye on her. Both boys could hear her moving boxes and bottles of spices around in her search. 'It will ease your belly ache. Yes, it is in here somewhere. Now where is it? I used it by only a year ago.'

'She's a bloody loon, Prongs.' Sirius raised his eyebrows as he whispered to his fellow marauder. 'Who in their right mind gives food to a pair like us? We were eating her home up, for merlin sakes so the old gal shoves more food our way!'

'It stopped us from eating her home, didn't it? ' James whispered hoarsely. His stomach was really aching and with the reducing sugar rush, his head wasn't feeling all that well either. He pushed himself away from the table, barely able to hold back the urgent demand of his stomach. 'Seriously, Sirius I'm going to hurl, potion or not.'

Sirius shook his head in disbelief as James disappeared around the corner. 'Ah, well not everyone can handle a decent meal.' Sirius pushed himself away from the table and searched out the old lady.

He found the kitchen with no problem, as he and James did explore the place on first entrance and it wasn't all that big of a cottage. Both boys lived in far more luxurious places then what the cottage offered. On entering the kitchen, he found it empty but heard moving in the food pantry. The lady of the home was still searching earnestly for a remedy on over-stuff stomachs. Sirius noticed a large pot settling over the kitchen's hearth, simmering with wonderful aroma.

'Wonder what's for supper.' Sirius murmured to himself as he noted a large book resting on a bookstand. Unhurriedly, he walked up to the lectern to check out the book. Finding the ribbon place mark, Sirius opened the book to the receipt the old lady must have been working on. He scanned the ingredients and frowned at the last item needed for the stew. 'Ah, it appears we are dinner.' He closed the book and looked at the pot simmering over the fire. 'That is disgusting. It's no good, anyways. James' head would never fit in there. Well, not with the lid on.'

'I see you found my secret.' The lady's voice slipped with crackles of age. Sirius started to turn around, to confront the lady but she was armed with a frying pan. The lad had not a chance when it collided with his head.

She let the pan slide from her abnormal twist fingers and tried to gather Sirius up under his arms and trying to heave him off the floor. She was able to get his half of him off the floor and she tried to drag him but she wasn't built for menial labor. 'Tisn't any good.' Like the frying pan, she let Sirius drop to the floor. His head bounced a bit but being unconscious had its advantages, for he didn't feel a thing. She used her apron to wipe the sweat from her face.

'Madam.' James appeared, holding a mop. 'I am concern about the treatment of this broom.' He placed the handle on the floor, looking at the mop head as it dripped with water. 'It appears to me that you were trying to drown it.' James looked back at the lady who held a hand over her mouth then he looked down at the floor where Sirius laid, a bruise showing on his temple and the frying pan on the floor.

'He just fell over.' The lady pointed to Sirius. 'I-I was cooking some nice vegetables and there he was! Snuck up on me, he did! It was by instant I can assure you that made me defend myself!'

'Then he didn't just fall over, did he?' James dropped the mop and with great caution, he walked over to Sirius and knelt beside the fallen boy. All the while, the lady was backing away. 'Why would you be afraid of us now when you weren't earlier?' He poked Sirius but got no response. James poked him a bit harder. 'Hey, Padfoot. Time to wakey-wakey.'

'I-I became afraid.' The lady slowly made her way towards the counter, her twisted fingers finding a knife that she was using earlier to cut some onions. 'I was looking for a remedy for your sudden illness.' She brought the knife up behind James' back.

At that moment, James glanced at his reflection on a stainless still pan, seeing the figure in cloak standing behind him. The thing that had been following him since they landed in this strange place now stood behind him. It was Death. James spun around in time to see the lady swing the knife.

'Stupefied!' The spell was cast so quickly and wit out hesitation. James watched as Death took in the appearance of the old lady, her body crumbling to the floor as the curse hit her.

James gave a quick smile to his friend. 'As always, perfect timing Moony.'

'How bad is he?' Remus quickly knelt down alongside James, looking closely at Sirius' injuries.

'Well, his head is hard.' James shrugged his shoulders. 'Most likely he wake up more grouchy than normal.' James nodded his head over to the doorway. 'Who's the girl?'

'That would be Alyssa.' Remus avoided James' questioning eyes and the lift of a grin. 'The hunter's daughter.'

'Aren't you a bad boy!' James patted him on the back with the mischievous grin still on his face.

'What should we do about her?' Remus nodded over to the fallen lady.

James shrugged his shoulders. 'Petrificus Totalus her till Sirius wakes up. There is something off about her. After seeing what she does to her broom…' James gave a sicken glance at the mop laying on the floor. 'I cannot honestly trust her.'

'Not to mention she was going to slice your spine open.' Remus pointed out.

'Well, yeah there is that too.' James admitted.

Is that a chocolate cake?' Remus quickly casted the binding spell before going to the cake.

'The whole roof is made out of chocolate.' James spoke to his friend but his eyes went back to the pot. Death no longer was staring back at him. Still, he couldn't help but feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

'Let me help.' Alyssa knelt to the floor, placing Sirius head on her lap as she gently pressed a cold rag to his wound.

'Your father is a hunter?' James gave a false smile. 'He hunts what? Bears? Rabbits? Um…deer?'

'No. Mostly monsters and the wolf.' Alyssa petted the smooth hair on Sirius head.

'The wolf?' James bit his lower lip and gave a glance to Remus who seemed only interested in the top of the cake.

'It prowls the forest killing innocent people. It has huge eyes and large teeth!' Alyssa eyes grew with every detail. 'My father is trying to protect our village. He will find the beast and kill it.'

'Well, that's nice. To be safe an all, I mean.' James stood up finding Sirius to be in safe hand. He moved over to Remus who was licking his fingers. 'The hunter, the daughter and the wolf. Yeah, that makes an awkward relationship.'

'There isn't any relationship.' Remus pointed a spoon at James. 'I found her alone in the woods.'

'Like the good wolf you are.' James folded his arms in front of him.

'She was going to her grandmother's house and I offered to see her saftely there.'

'Oh sure.' James nodded approvingly.

'Then we found this…' He held up the apple jointed with two feathers.

'My snitch!' James grabbed it from Remus' hand.

'Alyssa said you guys would end in danger and so she is now helping me.' Remus looked at James as he soared the snitch into the air, making it fly. 'That is an apple.'

'You got your cake and the girl, let me have my snitch.' James gave a wretched look once more at the mop. If only it was in better condition but he had tried to mount it. The back was just too heavy. Air wheelies were all that 'broom' would be able to do.

'Any luck on finding Pete?' Remus asked before shoving another mouthful of iced spoon into his mouth.

'Nope.' James smiled brightly. 'But you found us and you find the snitch so maybe our luck will change and together once more we'll be.'

* * *

><p>'Help!' Peter cried out into the night. There had to be someone out there that could hear him. That could help him. 'Please! Someone! Anyone! Well, no – not the wolf. Anyone else!'<p>

'You keep yelling like that, it's the wolf that will find you.' A man stepped out from the row of trees.

'W-Who are you?' Peter swallowed nerviously.

'It appears that I am the one who will be freeing you.' The man smiled but his face wasn't meant to do such a thing. Instead it looked more like a snarl.

'A-are you the hunter?' Peter asked once the man came closer.

'Hunter?' The man backed away slightly. 'I suppose you could say that I am a hunter but 'The Hunter', no.'

'A-are you the wolf than?' Peter squeezed his legs together, hoping it would help from wetting himself.

'Boy, havne't you ever seen a wolf before?' The man howled with a laugh. 'They have large ears. Gleaming yellow eyes. Teeth so pointed it would cut through your skins. Not to mention, they roam on all fours and covered head to tail in fur.' The man gave Peter a wink before pulling out a small dagger at his side to cut the ropes.

'T-Those people in that house, they left me out here so the wolf would get me.' Peter still felt fear. This man didn't exactly have the looks of a hero.

'Oh, yes. That would be the Bears.' The man nodded his head. 'Nice enough folks most of the time but terrible imprudent family if you be asking me. Misinformed, you understand.' The man watch Peter rub his wrist sorely. 'Now, you may you be?'

'Oh. Peter, sir.' Peter held out his hand but the man didn't take it. 'I lost my friends in the marshes and found the family instead. Now, I'm here. Glad you came along, um…sir'

'Cruven Carter is my name, boy. Not sir.' Cruven gruffly nodded to Peter. 'Now what to do with you.'


End file.
